"He who lives by the crystal ball soon learns to eat ground glass."Edgar R. Fiedler
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Disabled World Debuts Website
With over 54 million people classified as disabled in the USA alone, new website Disabled-World.Com recognised the need to provide free information and product reviews for people with disabilities. Funded by donations and advertisers the Disabled World ...
Palmone Lifedrive: The Drive of Your Life
From the published spec, the Palm one Lifedrive looked to offer a few advantages over previous models, but would it live up to its promise? In the box In the silver-grey box was a Grafitti 2 reference sheet (in several languages), the Windows and Mac ...
WiFi Range: What are the Limits?
Because of the fact that the WiFi networking standard uses very high frequency (2.4 GHz) radio signals to transmit data, its access range is usually quite limited. How limited, of course, depends on the type of WiFi hardware being used. A single family ...
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'TANSTAAFL', the acronym for 'There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch', may be familiar to those of you who have taken a college economics class or two. Whenever you hear the word 'Free' in association with a product or service it's a good idea to keep it in mind because, in truth, nothing is free. Someone, somewhere, somehow, is bearing an economic cost; and so it is with free Wi-Fi hotspots. For the most part any of the free Wi-Fi hotspots you'll come across will have some sort of quid pro quo associated with them.
If you go to a McDonalds, for example, you can get a bit of free Wi-Fi with the purchase of a meal, if you go to Panera Bread or Port City Java, although not explicitly stated, it's implied that you're expected, as you should be, to buy something for the privilege of taking up table space while surfing the 'net.
Along with businesses several Municipal and International Airport Authorities, as well as a growing number of airline club lounges, are providing free Wi-Fi in an effort to sway travellers, who may have a choice between several carriers or nearby airports, to choose them. Similarly, more and more hotels are offering free Wi-Fi for their guests so, while the Wi-Fi hotspot may be advertised as free, it's cost is rolled into the room rate or expensed to advertising.
There are a few venues in which, although funding may come through taxation of some sort, no direct user cost is associated. An increasing number of public libraries, for example, are offering free Wi-Fi and, amid increasing controversy, several towns and cities have either set up free Wi-Fi Hotzones or they're exploring the possibilities.
Finding these free Wi-Fi hotspots is not that difficult. JiWire.com sponsors the Wi-Fi-FreeSpot Directory and some Wi-Fi aggregators, like GoRemote, are beginning to include the listings of free hotspots in their directories.
When you're accessing a free wifi hotspot there are a few things you should keep in mind:- Don't expect much tech help. The waiters, waitresses or baristas may have some working knowledge but, don't count on it, that's not why they're there.
- Don't overstay your welcome. If there's a line of people trying to find a seat and you've been nursing a latte for two hours you, and others like you, may be contributing to the venue owner's growing desire to start charging a hefty fee for the Wi-Fi access they provide.
- Make sure you follow good Wi-Fi Hotspot Security practices.
So, while free may not be entirely free, it's definitely reasonable. With a bit of planning you should be able to save yourself a few dollars a month while enjoying the ambiance of your favorite free Wi-Fi hotspot.
About the Author
Phil Haley is a technical writer and the editor of Refurbished Laptop Computer Info. For more information regarding buying, maintaining, upgrading or enjoying a laptop computer visit Refurbished Laptop Computer Info.
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Ion Air Pro WiFiPC MagazineExpansion bay for Wi-Fi connectivity. Visible compression affects finer details. Cannot adjust settings on the camera. The competitively priced, waterproof, Wi-Fi-connected Ion Air Pro WiFi is a solid entry in the ever-growing realm of action-oriented ...and more » |
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Highland Wi-Fi Capitalising on Capped Data PlansSacramento BeeBy Highland Wi-Fi With widespread super-fast broadband still a long way from reality, Highland Wi-Fi who installs, manages and maintains the UK's Fastest Public Wi-Fi network, today announced the launch of their latest WiFi location in John O' Groats, ...and more » |
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